Bunny's Blessing
by Tamie K
Summary: Months following the tragic passing of Bunny, Laura will discover the blessing he left behind.
1. Chapter 1

Kneeling down on the hay-covered floor of his stallion, Butler's corral, Nels Oleson inspected the horses hoof. He moved Butler's shoe back and forth, finding it loosened. This was not good, the horse needed shoeing again, and Nel's had an upcoming trip to Mankato.

He released Butler's hoof, letting the horse stand on all four legs again. _Perhaps Doc Baker will loan me his Philly_, he thought.

Moments later, Nels crossed the road to Doc Baker's office and found the front door locked. A piece of paper nailed to the door flapped in the breeze.

Gone to Tracy to deliver Mrs. Nelson's baby, the note read.

Frowning, Nels wondered who else in Walnut Grove was known for their mastery in shoeing horses. He returned to his barn, and took out Nellie's horse, Bunny, and saddled him.

"C'mon, Boy," Nels said. "Let's go for a ride."

* * *

><p>Nellie Oleson was not a happy girl when she walked into her father's barn that afternoon. Someone had stolen her horse! She'd been wanting to take him out and ride him past Laura Ingall's place, if only to taunt the girl as if to say, Hah hah. He's my horse now, not yours!<p>

Oh, how Nellie hated Laura. It seemed as if the little princess never did anything wrong. Everyone loved Laura, Except of course Nellie, Mrs. Oleson, and perhaps Willie Oleson, but Nellie wasn't too certain of that. After all she'd recently seen Willie trade his best aggie away to Laura, in exchange for help with his arithmetic.

"Foolish boy," Nellie hissed, heading toward her parent's store. She shoved the front door open and marched into the store.

Harriet Oleson had several customers to be waited on. There was Ms. Beadle, come to buy more chalk, Nellie suspected, because the awful Ms. Beadle had kept Willie after school these past few days, writing on the black board, phrases like "I will not talk in class."

Oh, how Nellie would hear her mother complain about this, Ms. Beadle wasting the school boards money on extra chalk so Willie could write on the blackboard all afternoon. What a cruel teacher Ms. Beadle was. Every night poor Willie would complain about his hand hurting, cramped up in that chalk holding position, and Mrs. Oleson would prepare a special soaking solution, made with homeopathic tonic all the way from England, for poor Willie's hands. Then Nellie's father would start in on the money Harriet wasted treating Willie… How he deserved to be in pain since he insisted on talking out of turn in class.

_Never mind Ms. Beadle, _Nellie thought. _I'll fix her later._

"Mother!" she yelled. "Someone stole my horse!"


	2. Chapter 2

The sound of hoofs galloping up the Ingalls' dirt driveway caught Laura's attention as she swept the floor. She knew Pa wasn't due back from his lumber delivery to Salton until evening. Who would come to pay a visit in his absence and at such great speed?

"See whose here, Laura." Caroline Ingalls looked up from the storybook she'd been reading to Carrie.

Laura leaned the broom against a wall, then pulled a shutter back to look outside. Her heart leapt inside her chest when she saw Mr. Oleson dismounting the horse she'd traded to him for Ma's Christmas present last Christmas.

"It's Mr. Oleson… and Bunny!" She smiled at her Ma before opening the door.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Oleson."

"Hi, Laura," he said, stepping out of her way so she could get a good look at the horse she still loved. "Is your Pa here?"

"No. He's making a delivery. You brought Bunny?" she said as if it had just occurred to her. Without asking, she walked right out to the horse and started to stroke his nose.

She looked into Bunny's eyes. He seemed to be as happy to see her as she was him.

"Are you okay?" Laura asked quietly. "Is Nellie being nice to you?"

She heard Mr. Oleson's footsteps behind her, and wondered if he'd heard her. She took her hand away from Bunny's face.

"What did you need to see my Pa for?"

"Oh, Butler has a loose shoe and Doc Baker went to deliver a baby. I'm supposed to pick up supplies from Mankato. I'm already late." He sounded disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Oleson. Maybe Pa will come over first thing in the morning."

"No, that won't be necessary," said Mr. Oleson as if he had another option. "But thank you anyway."

"Sure, Laura said," watching him climb up on Bunny's back. She gave Bunny one last pat on the cheek. "Bye Bunny,"

* * *

><p>It didn't take long for Nels Oleson to realize that it was Bunny who'd have to pull his buckboard to Mankato. He returned to the store at one p.m. to give Harriet the news, but any concern of his took a backseat to Nellie's incessant wailing. <em>What upset her this time?<em>

"I want my horse!" She bawled into her mother's apron.

Nels watched Harriet paw the mucus-filled fabric away.

"Now now, dear." Harriet held Nellie close, cradling her head in her hands. "Mommy will find your horse for you. Your father will help." She looked up at Nels as if it were the first time she noticed him. "Isn't that right, Nels?"

Nels wondered if his daughter was actually crying because she truly loved Bunny, or because she suspected someone had wronged her by taking him?

"Bunny's outside. I borrowed him to go see Charles Ingalls."

A look of relief washed over Harriet's face but not so much Nellie's. Not even as Harriet gave her a reassuring hug.

"See. Didn't Mommy tell you everything was okay?"

"You had no right to take my horse," Nellie snapped at her father.

Nels wasn't in the mood for this. "Now listen here, young lady. I paid for that horse and I'll do with him as I please."

"You didn't _pay_ for him," Nelie sneered. "You traded a stove for him. And you gave him to _me_. You have to ask _me_ for permission if you want to borrow him."

Resisting the urge to snatch Nellie up and give her a few swats on the behind, Nels said, "I paid for the stove that bought the horse. Now, Butler has a loose shoe and I have supplies to pick up in Mankato. I'm taking Bunny for the afternoon."

Nellie's face flushed with anger. "Oh no, you won't!"

Harriet looked at him with pleading dark eyes. "Nels is it really necessary? The child is upset as it is."

"Yes, it_ is_ necessary."

He heard Nellie whine, "Mother, don't let him!" as he walked out the door.

"Nels, wait!" Harriet called after him. But he ignored her. He unhitched Bunny from the post outside the store, and led him back to the barn where the buckboard was stored.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time Nels reached Mankato with Bunny, rain was falling heavily. The supplier of baking goods had closed for the evening. Mr. Oleson found an inexpensive hotel to room for the night. Bunny was placed in a stable, safe and out of the elements, with other traveler's horses.

Nels awoke the next morning, ate breakfast served by Mrs. Longfield, and headed out to the barn where a commotion had arisen. A mare had managed to unlatch the gate adjacent to Bunny's corral, and Mr. Longfield discovered the pair mating!

Mr. Longfield wasn't pleased, being that the mare was his prize show horse. If she would become pregnant from this fiasco, then he'd miss out on the Nicollet County Horse show next spring. Nels profusely apologized for Bunny's misbehavior.

"You naughty horse," he told Bunny, as he hitched him to the wagon that morning. But in a way, he admired the attraction between the two horses.

The mare cast a longing glance at Bunny as Nels drove him away to the baked goods supply merchant.


	4. Chapter 4

A little over a year later, on a bright autumn morning, Nels swept dirt off of the merchantile's steps in preparation for the day's business. A horse whinnied in the distance and Nels looked up to see an unfamiliar covered wagon approaching. He shielded his eyes from the sunlight, trying to get a glimpse of the rig's driver as it halted in the middle of the road. Nels noted a young colt, no more than six months old, was tied to the rear of the wagon and had traveled whatever distance these folks had traveled from.

"Good morning, Nels," said the man in the hat. He stuck out his hand for a shake. "The Misses and I are on our way to Sioux Falls and the mercantile in Mankato was fresh out of coffee."

Nell's looked into his eyes, recognition imminent. "Mr. Longfield."

It'd been several months since Nel's ordered supplies from Longfield as their prices had shot up with the drought.

"Call me Jake." Longfield followed Nels inside the mercantile.

Harriet was inside dusting the shelves and paused to look at Nels and their guest.

"Harriet, this is Mr. Longfield from Mankato. We used to do business with our baked goods. He and his wife have come for coffee."

"Certainly." Harriet disappeared behind the counter. "How much?"

"Two pounds ought to do," said Longfellow. "No telling how much they'll charge in Sioux Falls."

Nels remembered the Longfellow's involvement in horse shows. "Taking your mare for a contest?"

"I'm afraid not." Longfellow's countenance faded. "We're just not getting the business we were in Mankato. Sold our bed and breakfast. Know anyone interested in buying a foal?"

"You mean that little one you have tied to the rig?"

"Blessing's her name. Though the misses don't see her as much of a blessing. She won't be much of a show horse. But I'm sure she'll pull her weight around a farm when she's big enough."

Mrs. Oleson's eyes lit up. "You have a colt for sale?"

Nels cast Harriet a sharp glance, hoping she didn't intend to buy Nellie another pony after how she'd treated Bunny so poorly that Nels gave Laura Ingall's back her horse. Bunny had passed several months ago after being injured.

"Nellie doesn't need another horse, dear," Nels said.

"It'd be nice if you took the horse, seeing as I and the Miss hold you responsible for her existence anyway," said Mr. Longfield with a smile.

"What?" Nels asked.

"That there foal is your horses little one. If you take a closer look at her, I'm sure she bares an uncanny resemblance to her Pa."

"You mean Bunny?" Nels asked.

"Sure. You remember when you put Bunny in the stable with our mare?."

_Laura… Laura will be so tickled to know Bunny has a foal. _"Mr. Longfield, I mean Jake," Nels said. "I think I do know someone who might be interested in your foal. If your wife wants to come inside and have some tea in our parlor, I'll have one of the youngins fetch Laura Ingalls and her Pa.

Harriet choked, on whatever candy she'd taken from the countertop jars. "Ch-charles, Ingalls? Ingalls can't afford to buy a horse!"

"That maybe so," Nels said. "But we could buy the horse, and he could buy it from us on credit. I'm sure it'd mean a lot to Laura."

"CREDIT?" Harriet demanded. "Nel's, you're out of your mind!"

"Nellie!" Nels called out to his daughter who was supposed to be upstairs cleaning her room. Neliie emerged from the parlor, bright red ribbons in her hair and sucking on a sucker.

"Yes, Father?"

"Nellie, go fetch Laura Ingalls and her Pa. I have something for them."

Nellie looked at her mother. "Do I have to?"

Before Harriet could get a word in edgewise, Nels cut her off.

"Yes, you do."


End file.
